Dallas Cowboys Blog

Running back Marion Barber, who is suffering from a left-calf strain, did not practice for the third consecutive day and it appears increasingly unlikely that he will play Sunday against the Colts.

“You need reps and you need snaps,” said coach Jason Garrett. “You need to get yourself physically and emotionally ready to play. And practice goes a long way toward doing that.”

Meanwhile, cornerback and return specialist Bryan McCann was limited after injuring his ankle. He said he is expected to recover in time to play.

“I just rolled my ankle a little bit,” he said. “Nothing big. I’ll be back. I was turning and went to make a cut and my ankle just rolled up on me. I’ll definitely be back for Sunday.”

Linebacker Keith Brooking (strained left foot), who missed the previous two days of practice, was inactive Thursday despite returning to the field, according to the team’s official injury report. Bradie James (knee), who also was absent Tuesday and Wednesday, participated in a full practice Thursday. Their status for Sunday isn’t clear.

“We’re pointing toward both of those guys playing their typical role,” Garrett said. “We’ll see how it unfolds.”